HOLY COMFORTER CATHOLIC CHURCH

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA July 21, 2013

PARISH NEWS

NEW PARISHIONERS: Virginia DeSimone, Joanne & Peter Mackey, Amanda Dagg & Evan O'Brien, Roger Scanlon, Harrison & Jennifer Keevil, Danielle Morris, Matthew Dougherty, Michael & Allison Egidi, Michael John Katner, Samantha Murray, Agnes Tenderenda, Charlie & Rosemary Cona, Richard & Mary Ann Ziminski, Glenn Showalter, Cecilia Brooks, Christine Gallagher & Robert Wyllie, Brian & Robyn Jackson, and Andres & Erika Pedroso.

BAPTISMS: MARCH 16, 2013: JOHN WILLIAM GOLDEN APRIL 20, 2013: CAROLINE TAYLOE KEEVIL APRIL 21, 2013: PAUL JOSEPH ZELINSKE V APRIL 27, 2013: ANDREW MICHAEL SALLANS MAY 26, 2013: CATHERINE ANN KNEPPER JUNE 22, 2013: MEGHAN ELIZABETH ALBERT JUNE 29, 2013: WILLIAM THOMAS DARBY JULY 7, 2013: VIVIAN ROSE VANYO

WEDDINGS: MAY 3, 2013: CHRISTINE MARY ROGOSKEY & JOHN CLAYTON ALLEN

ANNIVERSARIES: FEBRUARY 11, 1961: FRANK & JEANETTE MCCARTHY MAY 23, 1998: COLETTE HALL & KELTON FLINN JUNE 7, 1969: JIM & BOBBIE HOSKINS JUNE 13, 1970: CAROLE & BARRY GAJDOSIK JUNE 19, 1971: JIM & JUDY OSTERHOLT

SAINTS TO REMEMBER

JULY 20 - St. Apollinaris

21 - St. Lawrence of Brindisi

22 - St. Mary Magdalene

23 - St. Bridget

24 - Sts. Sharbel Makhluf & Kunigunde

25 - St. James

26 - Sts. Joachim & Anne and Blessed William Ward

27 - Sts. Apollinaris & Pantaleon

28 - Sts. Lawrence of Brindisi & Innocent I

MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday, July 20 5 PM - Members of the Parish

Sunday, July 21 8:30 AM - Helen Ciaccio (Charlie Ciaccio) 11 AM – Moe Rahilly (Jim & Angie Morrisard)

Saturday, July 27 5 PM - Members of the Parish

Sunday, July 28 8:30 AM - Cullen McQuhae (Marie Johnstone) 11 AM – Michael Deren (The Kiehl's) Offertory 7/14 & 7/15: $4,476.50 Catholic Virginian: $15 Justice & Peace: $52

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

SUNDAY (7/21) 7 - 7:45 AM: Reconciliation 8:30 AM - MASS 11 AM – MASS

MONDAY (7/22) NOON - MASS

TUESDAY (7/23) 10 AM – NOON: Food Pantry NOON - MASS

WEDNESDAY (7/24) 10 AM – NOON: Food Pantry NOON - MASS NOON - AA Meeting 7 PM - Medjugorje Rosary Prayer Group

THURSDAY (7/25) 8 AM - MASS

FRIDAY (7/26) 8 AM - Monthly MASS for Deceased Members of the Parish 10 AM – NOON: Food Pantry NOON - AA Meeting

SATURDAY (7/27) 8 AM - MASS 3:30 - 4:30 PM - Reconciliation 5 PM – Vigil MASS

SUNDAY (7/28) 7 - 7:45 AM: Reconciliation 8:30 AM - MASS 11 AM – MASS

PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK'S READINGS

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32 Abraham pleads with the Lord, who planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the evilrbel and sin in those cities. Abraham asks him if he would spare the city if fifty, forty, thirty, twenty or even only ten innocent people were found there. God says that he would spare the cities even for the sake of only ten.

Second Reading: Colossians 2:12-14 Paul explains to the Colossians that through baptism, they are raised to life with Christ because they believed in the power of the God who raised him from the dead. Even though they once lived in sin, their sins have been pardoned through Jesus.

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13 Jesus' disciples asked him how they should pray. He gave them some phrases similar to those now used in the Lord's prayer. Jesus also reminds the disciples how even men with sins are able to give good things to their children, and explains how much more the heavenly Father wants to give to us.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR PARISHIONERS

Al Bossi, Peg Sullivan, Monty Chowdhry, Pam Heron, Sgt.

Patrick Heron, Pat Heron, Ray Heron, Normand Auger, Cullen McQuhae, Winifred Smith, Frank Pologruto, Al Bracuti,

Mildred Dudley, Carson & Baylor Wolf, Norman Bednarcyk,

Nicholas Sisman, Pat Rahilly, Mary Ann Williams, Amber

Eros and Ray Painley.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES

Barbara Drucker, Opal Joyner, Shawn Larson, Ginny Mackay,

Ian Mackay, Alexandra Mackay, Shelley Anderson, Scott

Painley, Joe Giebel, Dan Birnbaum, Sue & Addie Weston,

Christine Bentejac, Robey Shifflett, Westin Byrd, Will

Reisinger, Dick White, Sarah Dennison, Nicole Carpenter,

Pam Goines, Paula Goines, Janet Gunther, Charlie Prebitali,

Kelly Hibbs, Hortense Day Lasley, Jeff Silvester, Robert Rigoni, Michael Ferlan, Logan Carson, David Doyle, Gary

Gaudios, Diane Schmidt, Marc Cournoyer, Dave Halley,

Angie Palmer, Renee Faila, Chick Wilber, John Sprinkle,

Sonny Neal, Harry M. Hall, Jerry G. Green, Matthew

Daughdrill, Clara Hall, Josephine Nampijja, Wallace Ramp,

Bill Drucker, Miranda Pax, Lily Mehl, Gloria Aberg, Katelyn

Horne, Grace Dawn Wicke, Suzanne Lank, Stanley Lank,

Stanley Barr, Carlos Fleming, Melyssa Dove, Irene Newman,

Sal Cordaro, and Beth Mauk .

PLEASE PRAY

FOR THOSE SERVING IN OUR MILITARY

Brian Fagan, Jamie Torbet, Mike Eiermann, David Alvey,

Charles G. Ellison, Eric Emmott, and Matthew Mickiewicz.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Holy Comforter has had a dedicated group of Lectors but

attrition has created the need for more volunteers. Lectors are

all registered members and must have a desire to serve their

fellow parishioners as they PROCLAIM the Word of God at

Mass. Training and ongoing support materials are provided and "mike fright" can and will be overcome. Training

generally requires one session and the ongoing commitment

averages one Mass assignment per month. For more info,

please call Frank McCarthy at 971-6780.

JUSTICE & PEACE

PANTRY: How's your summer going? Any picnics or cookouts

yet? Many people in our area are working two minimum

wage jobs, trying to keep their heads above water. These are

among the people we help in our food pantry. Once every 30

days those whose low incomes entitle them to assistance come

to us for pantry bags. Your donations of non-perishable foods

and toilet articles are MOST WELCOME. Thank you for your

help.

OUR NEW WEBSITE IS LIVE! www.holycomforterparish.org

NEWS FROM HAITI

Anne Knasel (STA): anne@stagebridge.net

Ginny Zeller (HC): ginnyannzeller@gmail.com

www.saltadere.org

PASTOR OF ST. MICHEL: The committee expects that Father

Ilric Louis Jeune will visit our parishes in August. Watch this

space for details.

SPONSORSHIP: Thank you to all the sponsors of St. Michel

students. Your sponsorship has been helping to support the

schools and the teachers for almost 10 years. In 2004, after

determining that a new school building was essential to the

health and safety of the students, our committee initiated a sponsorship program. Photographs of individual students

were made and parishioners were asked to contribute to

support a new school for their sponsored student. The funds

raised through sponsorship over two or more years augmented

by generous donations were enough to construct a 13 room

building which was dedicated in 2007. The school continued

to grow and a generator room, a kitchen and 3 classrooms

(intended for the smallest students and added in 2011) were

also constructed. The school is still growing, as education for

all children regardless of ability to pay is a goal of the Haitian

government. In 2007 grades were preschool to sixth. Now the grades begin at age 3 and go to 11th grade. Father Ilric hopes

to add a twelfth grade which will allow students to complete

their high school education in Saltadere. In the Haitian system

there is a 13th grade which is the pre-university year and

requires special exams. Saltadere students would travel to

Hinche to complete this level.

BI-PARISH HAITI COMMITTEE: The next committee meeting

is Sunday, August 11. All are welcome. To learn about the Bi-

parish committee, you can e-mail Anne Knasel or Ginny Zeller.. You may also visit the website.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS OF INTEREST

ANNOUNCING THE MEDJUGORJE ROSARY PRAYER GROUP: Please join us on Wednesday evenings at 7 PM at Holy

Comforter Church. All our welcome! For questions, please

contact Barbara Cassidy on 434-202-1540.

HELP WANTED: BOOKKEEPER: Church of the Incarnation is

looking for an individual to play a vital role in our parish

ministry. The selected candidate will work under the

supervision of the Business Manager and will work with the

entire parish staff as a member of the parochial team

responsible for bookkeeping and financial activities. He/she

will work closely with the Parish Finance Council and

maintain communications with Diocesan financial officials. Part-time:15/18 hours per week. Visit the Parish Office for job

description and responsibilities as well as an employment

application. Closing date is July 31. Questions, contact Izzy

Menchero at 434-973-4381.

RALLY FOR LIFE: Please join us on Saturday, August 10, 9am-

noon at First Baptist Church , 735 Park Street , for a not-to-be-

missed event featuring pro-life advocates, speakers, and

resources, including 40 DAYS FOR LIFE founder,

international speaker and author, DAVID BEREIT. With his

leadership during the last 6 years 7,536 babies have been

saved! Come find out what you can do -- peacefully and

prayerfully -- to be part of the solution. More info at

40DaysforLife.com/Charlottesville or 434-214-0345. EVERY

LIFE IS PRECIOUS!

FROM THE PASTOR

CELEBRATING THE CHURCH’S LITURGY IN SIGNS & SYMBOLS CONTINUED

The Theology Of The Particular Signs In Liturgy: Vatican II SC 33. Says “the visible sings helps us to signify the invisible divine reality i.e. God”. The symbols can be objects, words, silence, actions, gestures and song which helps us to enter into real relationship with God. Faith has to be expressed in the ways of signs and symbols. SC. 60 says “the sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the church’s intercession” ...

According to Rahner “the sacraments make concrete life of the individual, the symbolic reality of the church as the primary sacrament and therefore constitute a symbolic reality. Thus the sacraments are described in theology as ‘sacred signs’ of God’s grace”. The invisible grace of God is realized symbolically through the sacraments.

Always the sacraments signify the action of Christ through the Church; reveals to the world the face of both God and man and celebrates them in joy and peace. Even more than the Church, Christ himself reveals, actualizes and celebrates the true being of God

and man by commemorating his own mystery, fulfilling it and prefiguring the future.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in relation to the holy images as part of the sign and symbols in our worship say; “All the signs in the liturgical celebrations are related to Christ: as are sacred images of the holy Mother of God and of the saints as well. They truly signify Christ, who is glorified in them. They make manifest the "cloud of witnesses" who continue to participate in the salvation of the world and to whom we are united, above all in sacramental celebrations. Through their icons, it is man "in the image of God," finally transfigured "into his likeness," who is revealed to our faith. So too are the angels, who also are recapitulated in Christ”(#1161). And also "The beauty of the images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes and subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God." Similarly, the contemplation of sacred icons, united with meditation on the Word of God and the singing of liturgical hymns, enters into the harmony of the signs of celebration so that the mystery celebrated is imprinted in the heart's memory and is then expressed in the new life of the faithful”(# 1162)

The church buildings of Christianity developed from both the Jewish Temple and the synagogues, are signs of the “place of God’s presence” on earth, and hence sacrifice could only be offered in the Temple and reading of the Torah in the synagogue. For us the two take place in that one place the Church as sacred place where God meets with His people. According to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. “Christian Liturgy takes up the Liturgy of the Word from the synagogues (the shrine of the Torah being replaced by the tabernacle, the true place of God’s presence) and the sacrificial liturgies of the Temple (with the altar of animal sacrifice being replaced by the altar of Christ’s Sacrifice). It is of apostolic tradition that Christian liturgy was orientated towards the east in contrast to the synagogue’s orientation towards the Temple. The rising sun has always been a biblical and cosmic symbol of Christ, the light of the world, and of His Resurrection and Second Coming. In modern Churches and where the priest celebrates now facing the people, the cosmic symbol of the rising sun is replaced by the Crucifix, which should always stand between priest and people so that the worship is not orientated towards one another, but always towards Christ, who is the true, the “place of God’s presence”. If these images are properly understood and preserved, they help us to rise above a simply “horizontal” liturgy of priest meeting people, and direct our worship upwards to God, such that He, not the priest, is the focus of our Liturgy.

TO BE CONTINUED

Formation Notes

Dear Friends, Catechism. Catechesis. Catechetical. (This last is one of my most favorites, what with all that internal alliteration.) These words derive from the ancient Greek κατηχισμος: instruction by word of mouth, or in an earlier form, a verb that meant “to resound.” There is a reason we call the adults who lead our Christian Formation programs “catechists,” and not simply “teachers.” There is an aspect to this important ministry that imparts much more than information. The early Greek word is related to “echo.” These ministers echo deep meaning – understandings they have acquired in their own faith lives – for the benefit of the children in their charge. All this as an introduction to the fact that –

We still need catechists for our

2013-14 Formation Classes!

Many of the wonderful people who have led classes for our younger children in past years are, returning:

Carole Gajdosik, Janet Connally, Suzanne Bailey, Barbara Battiston. New people arrive: a terrific woman with a background in middle school education, Robyn Jackson, will be teaching our 6th-8th grade kids. We re-imagine our high school program along the lines of our RCIA classes, with volunteer catechists committing to only 1-3 class lessons during the school year. I will draw up the syllabus schedule, and let people know the topics that need to be addressed, among which they could pick and choose. (If you have any desire at all to teach our young people, this would be a great way to start. With minimal time obligations.)

So what we need:

Volunteers for our Nursery (during both Sunday masses … you wouldn’t have to show up every time. I will schedule people!)

An aide/back-up catechist for the pre-K class (to work with Carole Gajdosik).

A lead catechist in the K-1 class (as well as an aide there).

Catechists to commit from 1 to 3 lessons for high school kids over the course of the year.

Teenagers willing to work in the nursery for a little cash, or even willing to show up gratis more regularly as aides to the younger student classes.

Beyond these particular commitments, we can always use people willing to act as substitutes. Catechists get sick, too, you know …. I am very optimistic about this New Year. As crazy as last year was, some very beautiful things budded and began to flower. This next year will be extraordinary. I have no doubt. I hope you are a part of it!

Many blessings on your summer! Dawn

Christian Formation

Class Registration!

Registration 2013-14 Christian Formation and Sacramental Preparation Classes forms are available in the Commons. Sign your kids up! We especially need to know about new students, entering our Pre-K and 1st grade classes.

Virtus Training

July 23, 6-9 pm

All adults and young people working with children in the Catholic Church must be “certified” by the VIRTUS training program for enforcement of Safe Environment procedures. We have arranged for a VIRTUS session to be taught here at Holy Comforter on Tuesday July 23rd, from 6-9 p.m. Food will be provided for people running from work, and child care too, if you need to bring your children along. To participate, you should register with the diocese

on-line at http://www.richmonddiocese.org/Safe-

Environment-Training-Sessions

Padre Pio: Miracle Man

Part II: July 20 after the 5 pm mass

We had a lovely evening last Saturday watching the first part of this film. Please join us for movie viewing and light snacks for the second part of this very moving story about one of our more recent saints.

Mary Magdalene:

Apostle to the Apostles

Her Feast Day is July 22nd. But on July 27th, after the 5 pm mass, I will make a presentation about the very important role this remarkable saint played not only in Jesus’ ministry, but in the early church. Wine and cheese and lots of talk. This will be fun.